Artists Respond: Rooted and Rising
By Springboard for the Arts
Artists, we’re here for you. Throughout the past several months of federal occupation in Minnesota, we’ve seen how hard you have been working to support your neighbors and your community through your creativity. We know you need support, inspiration, relief, and opportunities for connection and collaboration. You’re not alone.
While the situation continues to develop, we know that it will take time for our communities to heal from the collective trauma, economic damages, and disruption in safety that we have faced. We’ve compiled an evolving list of artist-specific resources and opportunities that are designed to help you as you navigate this difficult moment and the healing and repair that comes next.
Statewide Artists Emergency Relief Fund Network – Stewarded by Springboard for the Arts, this network is a growing coalition of regional organizations in Minnesota supporting artists and creative workers with one-time emergency relief funds. The network includes relief fund programs from Arrowhead Regional Arts Council (Duluth), Five Wings Arts Council (Staples), the Metropolitan Arts Council (Saint Paul), the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council (Waseca), and the Region 2 Arts Council (Bemidji). Each program is operated independently with varying geographic scope, cycles and eligibility. Please visit your council’s website for detailed information on their relief program or find your regions program in our directory.
Creative Business Recovery Fund – The Creative Business Recovery Fund was created to respond to ongoing economic instability affecting artist micro-businesses, particularly those with limited access to capital and relief infrastructure. This fund supports 50 Minnesota micro-businesses and artists by providing $2,000 to help recover from months of lost sales and to reinvest in their creative businesses in preparation for the upcoming Spring/Summer season. Apply for the fund by March 15, 2026.
Artists Respond: Rooted and Rising invites artists and culture bearers whose neighborhoods or communities have been impacted by harm, fear, and loss in the wake of Minnesota’s ICE occupation to do what they do best – deepen relationships and networks, create safe spaces for reflection and healing, and gather community stories. Applications will be accepted on rolling deadlines, and artist-projects selected every 2 weeks from March 12 – April 23, 2026. Apply to participate.
Call for Art: The Witnessing Wall – Minneapolis-based Curiosity Studio invites artists to contribute to a community art exhibit in their Spare Change Gallery. “Tell us your moments of grief, care, joy, resistance, purpose, action or learning you’ve experienced during this occupation. Add your offering to the wall for a neighbor to keep. Take an offering that resonates with you.”
Community Aid Network MN – Community Aid Network (CANMN) is a grassroots volunteer-led organization located in the Bancroft neighborhood of Minneapolis, MN. We work to build solidarity with our neighbors, organize volunteers and redistribute resources to ensure everyone has the means for dignified survival.
Crafting Community Aid – Accepting donations of handmade goods for mutual aid
Stand with Minnesota – Comprehensive directories for mutual aid, legal support, emergency funds, and rapid-response organizations
Indigenous Roots & Mnisota Community Action Network – Dedicated to supporting mutual aid and rapid response efforts across the nine regional areas of the state of Minnesota.
MN Organizations Rise and Respond List – A directory of MN Arts Organizations mobilizing community support and creative interventions in response to ICE Occupation. Coordinated by Eleanor Savage, Jerome Foundation.
Singing Resistance Toolkit by Singing Resistance
What Can Artists Do? and Resources for Creative Troublemakers by Kyle Tran Myhre
Toolkit for Grieving Together in Public
Invest in Artists: Launch an Emergency Relief Fund Toolkit – This toolkit by Springboard for the Arts walks agencies and organizations through the key steps to launching your own Emergency Relief Fund for Artists.
“Proceeds Will Go To…” by Birchwood Palace Industries – A practical guide for artists and cultural workers raising money through their work for direct support and mutual aid, and who want to understand the limits, risks, and trade-offs involved before taking action. This publication covers tax implications, sales tax, nonprofit and fiscal structures, charitable deductions, documentation, partnerships, pricing, fulfillment, raffles, and more.
Monarca MN & Unidos MN – Rapid response line, legal observer training, and online resources
MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee – MIRAC is an all-volunteer, grassroots, multiracial, and multinational immigrant rights mass-movement organization. MIRAC fights for legalization for all, an end to immigration raids and deportations, an end to all anti-immigrant laws, and full equality in all areas of life.
We are grateful to McKnight Foundation, Jerome Foundation, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, Knight Foundation, Hugh J. Anderson and an Anonymous funder for supporting the MN Artists Emergency Relief Network and other rapid response programming.
Featured collage photos by Ne-Dah-Ness Greene and Thai Phan-Quang.
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